Robin Hood

What a nice surprise. I really didn’t feel like watching the new Robin Hood, but all the more Scott managed to persuade me that there is sense in this fairly fundamentally innovated version. Helgeland’s screenplay is one of the greatest boon of the picture, making something more out of this dusty old legend. The main problem is that the closer it gets to the end, the more scenes are simply missing. As if someone was hurrying somewhere and to make the movie shorter, they just trimmed down the ending eliminating any climax and so it just “happens". But they could have gotten so much more of the battle by the sea. The ingredients are there, but just not used. Russell gives his standard and what surprised me most was the excellent chemistry between him and Cate Blanchett. The role of Maid Marion suited her wonderfully. Strong’s bad guy is exquisite, despite playing them all the time. You would have thought it would wear a little thin, but it doesn’t. And a final thanks to Marc Streitenfeld for the wonderful soundtrack. (14/01/2011)

I was too content to be disappointed, but... I expect rather more from Ridley than a slipshod, while entertaining historical snack. I don’t doubt that in a year and a day we’ll see the release of a dozens of minutes longer and countless percent better director’s cut. Because mainly the editor had to do inhumane overtime on the second half and so in many places it doesn’t make too much sense. But it isn’t ridiculous, not at all (apart from the lady charging on the pony, huh?). The reason why Robin Hood is worth seeing isn’t sumptuous production design (there is none, anyhow) or monumental battles (there are none, anyhow), but the electrifying courting chemistry of the central two. Despite all of potential for mediocrity, I would certainly like to see a part two. Or, better still, I want Scott to give us a whole new movie about Richard played by Huston! P.S.: And although this has almost nothing to do with the legend, still it is a hair’s breadth closer to it than what they did in the version starring Costner. (13/05/2010)

He promised us the story of the Duke of Nottingham, then a dual role for Russell, and finally reminded us of Gladiator through the trailers. And there Ridley Scott luckily remained. Robin Hood is indeed about a rebellion, but it is not a pathetic epic about noble heroes' victory. It is a cautiously romantic memory, but not a fairytale about Robin and Lady Marion. But most importantly, it is the story of a few righteous men and the rough birth of a legend. (14/05/2010)

I'm trying to find adequate words for this repulsive and bloated screenwriting conglomerate, brought to total impotence by Ridley Scott's trembling hand. I am struck by words such as despair, embarrassment, lack of criticism, anachronism and ideological naivety bordering on simplicity. It can be roughly summarized as follows: Robin Hood was caught in the woods and sodomized with a loud reading of Marx's Capital. What was quite cute in Kingdom of Heaven is offensive and boring in this film. Only Max von Sydow stands out from the weak attempts at heroism. In a single scene, Max demonstrates what the rest of the film is hunting for in vain in the soulless theft from Shakespeare, The Lord of the Rings and about five thousand other films. One star out of sheer disrespect for Scott, who should either get bigger scissors, or leave history alone. It’s already taken a decent beating from him. (10/05/2010)

I'm delivering on what I promised, and after watching the director's cut DVD version, I'm adding a fifth star to the four strong movie theatre stars. And I like adding that last star. Ridley Scott is a whiz at this kind of film and in Robin Hood he once again shows very solid craftsmanship, which together with Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven makes a fantastic historical triptych. It's hard to know what to praise first. A script that isn't afraid to look at the legend from a completely different angle? The direction, visuals, music and elaborate costumes and props (see the bonus features on the DVD)? The great pairing of Crowe and Blanchett, with a nice spark between them (saving the ram)? The slimy Mark Strong, the dignified Max von Sydow, the bearded William Hurt, the unrecognizably masked Danny Huston? I really don't know and that's why I applaud everybody. Robin Hood is definitely a good film, worth two and a half hours of your time.__P.S. The way Scott quotes Private Ryan at the end really amused me.__P.P.S. The only flaw is that I expected the director's version to be at least half an hour longer. (19/09/2010)